The 31-day protest by the people of Gwadar is over after successful negotiations leading to an 11-point agreement with the government. This is good for Gwadar, good for Balochistan and good for Pakistan. The protest saw tens of thousands of people, including women and children, march on the main roads and streets of Gwadar in support of their movement. A protest of this scale representing such multiplicity has been rare in the province
The major issues raised by the protesters included an end to the entry of fishing trawlers in Balochistan’s territorial waters, removal of unnecessary checkposts and easing of trade with Iran. The demands have been raised over many years at different forums, including Parliament, but have gone unheard. As Balochistan Chief Minister put it, “these are all legitimate demands,” a stand that the provincial government has taken all along while holding talks with the protesters.
A well-entrenched and powerful vested interest has stood in the way of the acceptance of the demands. When those required to stop the entry of illegal trawlers continue to look the other way as outsiders deprive the local fishermen of billions of rupees worth of catch, there has to be a reason, graft being presumably the foremost.
Border trade is to be handed back to the district administration by the Frontier Constabulary, thus redressing another grievance. If the protesters didn’t like the FC’s control, there must have been some reason. In accordance with another agreement unnecessary checkposts of the FC would be abolished. There have been complaints that at times FC personnel humiliated local people by misusing their authority.
Powerful people and institutions have been forced to discontinue their age-old malpractices under the pressure of the “Gwadar Ko Haq Do” protest. Will they not try to revert to old practices once the movement has ended? Arrangements have been agreed upon to ensure the implementation of the reforms. It remains to be seen if these prove sustainable.
The powerful month long protest in Gwadar should be a wake-up call for Islamabad. People in the port city which holds great strategic and economic significance for Pakistan still face serious problems including the acute shortage of water and power. These have to be urgently resolved before another movement rocks the city.
